INDUSTRY

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) endorses the Cyber Security Enhancement Act (H.R. 3482), which was marked up by the House Judiciary Committee yesterday. "ITI is pleased with the Judiciary Committee's mark up of this important legislation and urges House passage as soon as possible," said ITI President Rhett Dawson. The security of the Internet and the interconnected networks on which it runs is of paramount importance to the information technology (IT) industry. Despite industry-led efforts to improve computer security, the frequency of cyber-crimes continues to increase as more and more Americans log on to the Internet. "Cyber-crimes perpetrated by hackers can disable critical information systems, costing our nation's economy billions of dollars and diminishing Americans' confidence in the safety and security of the Internet," Dawson said. The Cyber Security Enhancement Act provides for greater consideration of a convicted cyber-criminal's malicious intent, as well as the detriment of the attack during sentencing. This measure will ensure that the sentences imposed more adequately reflect the serious, harmful impact of cyber-crimes on American businesses, government and consumers. ITI represents the leading U.S. providers of information technology products and services. ITI member companies employed more than one million people in the United States and exceeded $668 billion in worldwide revenues in 2000. ITI member companies include Agilent Technologies, Amazon.com, AOL Time Warner, Apple Computer, Canon U.S.A., Cisco, Compaq, Corning, Dell, Eastman Kodak, EMC, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Intel, Lexmark, Microsoft, Motorola, National Semiconductor, NCR, Panasonic, Siebel, Siemens, SGI, Sony, Sun Microsystems, Symbol Technologies, Tektronix and Unisys. For more information visit http://www.itic.org/